The invention relates to a stabilization device for use during imaging diagnostics performed on parts of a body by means of magnetic resonance, notably computed tomography or magnetic resonance tomography as disclosed in the introductory part of claim 1.
For computed tomography examinations of parts of a body it is necessary to arrange a coil for building up an electromagnetic field, that is, a so-called high-frequency or RF coil, at a small, uniform distance from the part of the body to be examined and the part of the body concerned generally requires stabilization so as to keep it as steady as possible during the examination. Therefore, U.S. Pat. No. 5,617,027 discloses a stabilization device of this kind where a flexible coil is pressed against the part of the body to be examined after which it is fixed in place and stabilized by way of a vacuum pillow that is arranged around the part of the body and the coil. In order to obtain the desired position, first the coil and subsequently the pillow must be manually adapted to the part of the body and be held until the air is evacuated from the pillow. Stability is ensured only after such evacuation. This system has the drawback that the operation of fitting the coil and the vacuum pillow and evacuating the pillow must be performed by skilled staff and requires a comparatively long period of time.
Also known are simpler systems where the flexible coil is arranged around the part of the body and is secured by means of a fixing strap with a catch or a buckle. However, such systems must also be fitted by skilled personnel and are often experienced as being uncomfortable by the patient. It is notably in the case of examinations in the region of the head or the neck that such straps that include catches and are fitted around the neck can be very uncomfortable. Moreover, such fixing of the coil has no stabilization effect whatsoever.
Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide a stabilization device of the kind set forth which enables fast and reliable adaptation of the coil to the part of the body to be examined and at the same time provides adequate stabilization thereof.
This object is achieved by means of a stabilization device as disclosed in the characterizing part of claim 1. As a result of the use of a supporting element whose shape has already been adapted to the part of the body to be examined but is still elastic and the connection of the coil to this supporting element in such a manner that the coil always follows the shape of the supporting element and is deformed together therewith, the coil is automatically pressed uniformly but comfortably against the part of the body when the part of the body is introduced into the stabilization device, that is, without assistance from staff being required.
In order to enhance the comfort, the coil should preferably be embedded in a flat pillow. This pillow can project at least partly from the supporting element in as far as it has enough stability of its own to keep it from hanging down directly to the side of the supporting element. A device of this kind is preferably used for parts of the body that need stabilization in given regions only. For example, the supporting element may be provided merely in the region of the neck of a patient whereas the pillow with the coil is also present in the transitional zone between the neck and the shoulders; this zone does not require further stabilization, because the pillow alone has no (or in any case only a slight) stabilization effect in the region in which it projects from the supporting element.
The supporting element of the stabilization device can be particularly advantageously provided with spring elements that are adapted to the curvature and shape of the part of the body to be stabilized. The elasticity of the device and the necessary strength of the stabilization effect can be adjusted by the choice of the resilience or the material of the spring elements.
In sub-regions in which strong stabilization is required or even no compliance of the spring elements is desired, these elements can be supported by a correspondingly shaped rigid basic member.
In order to enable an as individual as possible and possibly also a locally different adaptation to the part of the body to be stabilized, it is advantageous to arrange a plurality of spring elements adjacent one another and to construct these elements as fingers, each time one end of the spring element being fixed while its other end is freely resilient. This offers automatic and strict adaptation of the stabilization device in combination with a particularly high degree of comfort.
In order to protect the coil and to establish the connection between the coil and the supporting element the coil is preferably accommodated in a sleeve which is provided with one or more receiving pockets that are detachably entered by the supporting element. The coil can thus be removed from the supporting element, for example for the purpose of cleaning, and the coil and the supporting element can be exchanged independently of one another. In as far as the coil is embedded in a pillow as described above, the pillow is preferably arranged in the sleeve together with the coil.
The stabilization device in accordance with the invention is particularly suitable for forming a neck support, because the automatic adaptation that takes place directly when the neck and the head of the patient are arranged thereon is experienced as being particularly pleasant whereas manual adaptation and fixation by means of belts, vacuum pillows or the like is particularly annoying at this area.